Radia: Kani, hi!
Kani: Hi! Niira.
Radia: Kani there is feedback from the Congress... is that - this is from Ahmed Patel, ok...
Kani: Ok.

Radia: He says that look, we recognise that the problem is the DMK internal problem...it's a problem between the family...it's a problem between their own people. We have given...they've given us a list which is of 5 people... it is not acceptable to us.
Kani: Yeah.

Radia: It is for them to resolve. We've told them what is the best that we can do.
Kani: Yeah. 3 and 4 no?

Radia:Yeah...well we appreciate that the dialogue has broken down but it's not for us to get back to them because we've given them a last and final offer.

Radia: As far as we are concerned Dayanidhi Maran has been calling Ghulam Nabi Azad on the half hour... and demanding all sorts of things and they have told him very categorically... no point you calling us.

Radia: We'll meet Karunanidhi whether he wants to meet Sonia Gandhi...whether he wants...it is... really the initiative has to come from the DMK to talk to us...

Radia: - we are not going to now call you or talk to you unless you are formally authorized by Karunanidhi to speak to us. Then we will speak to you but there is no point calling us every half an hour and giving us any demand.

Radia: - He has not met Sonia Gandhi at all.

Kani: But what does he...what demands he's got?
Radia: He's been making the same demands: that you give us 5 portfolios or we will not join.

Radia: - or give us atleast four and we will not join and he has demanded surface transport...demanded Telecom...he has demanded Railways -

Radia:...and otherwise he's also demanded Coal and Mines.

Radia: He has said... they are saying as far as we are concerned... we recognise that this is an internal DMK problem and a DMK family problem. It has nothing to do with Congress at all.

Radia: Congress has spelt out its position.

Radia: So therefore the leadership has taken a decision which is why they have not called you and taken... they are all waiting to meet before the swearing in started.

Radia: That they've taken a decision that it is for Karunanidhi to decide who he wants who he doesn't want in the formula that has been provided to him and it is for him to get back to him and tell them what they want.

Radia: If he decides he wants to nominate you to talk or nominate 'X' to talk or 'Y' to talk that's entirely upto Karunanidhi to decide but they feel that there are far too many people who are calling...

Radia: ...including Dayanidhi Maran which has been on the half an hour, that's one the second is...
Kani: Who is calling... actually I haven't made contacts...

Radia: No, not you. I think maybe Baalu has been calling also because he indicated that...

Radia: That even Baalu has been calling from Chennai and he also indicated one more thing he said that...

Radia: ...there was a news report that came out at 7'o clock this evening which said that Dayanidhi got Telecom etc, etc... all that. That's a news report when checked back with Times Now was given by Sun TV.

Radia: Therefore it's an internal problem that we suspect no point putting it on to us 'cause we are not putting out any such information...

Radia: So they've really... basically saying: we are not going to call we had a talk and the reason we did not contact you is because we are not in a position to talk...

Radia: ...we don't know what you want.

Radia: It's your problem internally first that you have to resolve. The Prime Minister has...(audio unclear)
Kani: No, no, see the only thing is...

Kani: ...see we just want some initiative from their side because the leader is really hurt about the abruptness of the whole thing.

Kani: Somebody should come from that side to start it.
Radia: Hmm.

Kani: Then I think it will go off. I'll also try to convey that message.

Radia: Yes. Tell them it has come from Ahmed Patel....ha?
Kani: Hmm.
Radia: So they can... you can tell him that very clearly...

Radia:...that this is a message and their view is that... and tell him that he is concerned... you can check with Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Radia: He will confirm to you that every half an hour this man has been calling him... and they had to tell him today that we don't recognise you we need your leader to come back to us.

Radia: I mean literally we had to tell him this...we don't know you...we know your leader.

Radia: So their side, they aren't bothered about him or who comes in, or what happens. But they will go with the 3 by 4 formula.

I'll talk to him just now and tell them their abruptness - and see if we can find a way round that and see how we can do...

Radia: But I think you need to relay this message to your dad.
Kani: No...no... I will.
Radia: Hmm...chal (fine).

Radia: He's with you, no, today?
Kani: I will talk to him in the morning, he's just gone to sleep.

Radia: Ok. But in the meantime just let me speak to them now, because they are all still awake let me see what they are saying about....there is a... you know... even that will have to go back and check with everyone, no...

Radia: 'Cause just to get this message back to me because I've been pushing them since morning to speak to you.

Radia: They... apparently had their own internal discussion first and then they took a very conscious decision that this...

Radia: ... list of 5 that has given by Karunanidhi was ill thought of, I mean not by your father -
Kani: No...no... but (audio unclear) -
Radia: ...and they said that it has been -
Kani: - casually sent.

Kani: No... no that was what very casually sent.
Radia: But he's saying it should not have been sent because anything that is coming from him, they take it very seriously because it's him.

Kani: Yeah, I agree.
Radia: Yeah and so they are saying that... obviously that was an absurd list and... they said nothing on Baalu, nothing on Raja, Prime Minister's clarified.

Kani: Yeah.
Radia: There is no such thing, nobody has made such statement if there are individual leaders in the Congress who have their own personal views then those are their personal views which they can tell the Congress.

... ... ...

Radia: Let me talk to this one...how did the meeting go? What was the meeting about?
Kani: No meeting, nothing.

Radia: I thought this evening everybody came... all the people...
Kani: No... no... generally every evening people come over in the evening and they'll be sitting and chatting.

Radia: All media was standing outside...
Kani: Media's mad ya.

Radia: Grand discussion that was going to happen and...
Kani: Everyday we have this... Plus or minus, one or two.

Radia: I know...they are all the same I'm telling you... I know them all...

Radia: ...they don't have anything else to do. So let me talk to them now, I'll just have a word with him right now... yeah.
Kani: Sure.

Radia: And see what feedback it is... obviously, please understand that my discussions are all on a very informal basis.
Kani: Yeah... yeah... yeah.
Radia: Yeah, so but please this is what has come from them... I mean... I think...

Radia: We have to... I think you need to tell him this in its absolute terms what they are saying... they are very clear about it...

Radia: - they really have a lot of respect for him.
Kani: Yeah... yeah.
Radia: Both Sonia Gandhi and you know, they are very respectful for him. But maybe I'll go back and tell them a bit...

Radia: ...was the meeting very aggressive?
Kani: Pardon?

Radia: When you had the meeting, were they very aggressive, was it?
Kani: No. Some party members of course they feel that he is being slighted that is all.
Radia: Hmm.

Radia: When you went to that meeting...

Radia: ...when Baalu came out and made that statement about outside support... was that meeting very aggressive?
Kani: No it was not, see people can talk once the leader gets hurt everybody gets emotional no?
Radia: Hmm.

Kani: So naturally that's how they react.

Radia: ...but why did he get hurt?
Kani: It was very abrupt... see after some more discussion and all that stuff if you had still said the same thing....

Kani: ...If you had sent somebody and then you know try to talk...I mean, over the phone, and just saying, 'No this is it ,and we can't do more than that'.

Kani: I mean finally we might agree to whatever it is -

Kani: - I mean, that is not the only thing... he feels... they dealt with him that way.

Kani: I think everybody in the party felt that way.
Radia: Hmm... Ok, I will relay that because that's an important point to relay that he is hurt about that... that's fine.

Radia: I'll do that... I'll do that so they can address that... but you may want to tell them that he has called every half an hour. You may want to tell your dad because he hasn't and they've told him very categorically are you authorised or not authorised to talk?

Kani: If I say that it will look very bad.
Radia: No, but Kani you have to tell him the truth no? This is the truth.

Kani: I'll try... I'll try.
Radia: No but you tell him that he's been calling every half an hour -
Kani: Yeah sure, sure.
Radia: He can check with Ghulam Nabi Azad

(tape ends)

Radia: No, you tell him that he has been calling every half an hour...he can check with Ghulam Nabi Azad?
Kani: Yeah... sure.